Wednesday, July 20, 2022, NewEnglandSkiIndustry.com
The Gunstock political saga reached a new level this evening, as the Gunstock Mountain Resort management team and a Gunstock Area Commission member tendered their resignations, the Laconia Daily Sun reports.
A local political blog named Granite Grok captured the scene on video:
The county-owned resort is overseen by the five-person Gunstock Area Commission, which in turn hires a day-to-day management team. The commission hired former Waterville Valley general manager Tom Day in January 2020. Day and other members of his management team tendered their resignations to the commission this evening.
Day had taken the place of longtime general manager Greg Goddard, who left his position prior to his announced retirement date for unknown reasons. Gunstock's marketing director was also dismissed at that time.
The Gunstock Area Commission is appointed by the Belknap County Delegation, which is composed of the county's state legislators. In addition to Day, commisioner Gary Kiedaisch (former Stowe CEO) tendered his resignation this evening. As a result, only Peter Ness, recently appointed chair, remains from the 2020 commission that hired Day.
Other members of the commission attempted to remove Ness in 2021, prior to suing the Belknap County Delegation over concerns of the delegation removing other commissioners. A Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the Belknap County Delegation.
Following the court's decision, commissioner Brian Gallagher resigned.
Recent commission meetings have been contentious, relating to who should pay for the legal costs incurred from the lawsuit, releasing materials related to the lawsuit, releasing detailed budget numbers, disputes over the recent master plan and capital construction projects, and public and employee comment sessions during meetings.
A political action group named Citizens for Belknap was recently formed in opposition to the delegation by "a group of citizens from across the political spectrum" that is "committed to helping our citizens rid Belknap County of this invasive species." Former commissioner Brian Gallagher is the group's treasurer.
